Smyrna times., 1887-02-16
WHOLE NO. l,647.


her, and she said DR.. Howe didn't
like wells, and laughed aloud. She
almost wOrships DR.. Howe's memory
aud naturally enough, for he saved her
from a life worse than any death-and
her strongest condemnation of any
thing is to say rapidly, with an express
sion Of disgust, DR.. Howe didn't like
that' l never knew her to use the
expression in jest except at the time 1
speak Of"
Is she often fault-fnding or moody,
and inclined to find things going the
way DIR. Howe would disapprove?" ?"
Oh, no, indeed. am constantly
surprised to find so little of that incli-
nation in her, living the life she does.
But when she dislikes anything or
anybody she expresses the feeling out.
right. l really think it is in this thing
that she is most unlike in appearance
people who have all,their senses. She
has never learned anything of polite
assimilation, and expresses her likes
and dislikes with precisely the frank
ness of little child. But another way
IN which her appearance is sometimes
strikingly peculiar is in expressing her
feelings. | remember once when a
letter came to her from her brother,
which the matrOn of the cottage was to
read to her (she is very affectionate.
and thinks everything of letters from
her friends. she patted the matron's
face and showed by her action such de-
light and eagerness that could only
think-it sounds almost disrespectful,
but you will understand what | mean
! could only think of a great dog,
delighted to see his master come home,
capering about and seeming to want so
very much the power of speech"
Il hear talk about people like Laura
developing a sixth sense, or something
of the sort; pray, what is your opin-
ion as to that ?"
That sixth sense lalk is all non
sense; of course it is. work with
blind people all the time and never
stop wondering at the way they man
age to do things, but of course l see
and know in detail how they use the
sense left them in a thousand places
where we use our eyes. But l must
say that some of the work done by
Laura's fingers seems marvellous. l
think the most wonderful thing is the
way she will judge of the intelligence
OF a stranger by touching his hand.
OF course she can tell less in this way
than another person of her intelligence
could by looking at the face, but she
will tell good deal. She will recog-
nize an idiot in an instant, and with
certainty. She despises persons of in
feriOr intellect as you may know, and
will have nothing to do with them.
There is a school for idiots near here.
and one day the experiment was tried
of taking her to drive q roundabout
way-she is very fond of riding-to the
place and putting the hand of one of
the inmates in hers. But it was of no
use; Laura threw the hand away in an
instant, with an expression of disgust,
and said idiot with her fingers"
Don't you find Laura's demands
somewhat of a tax upon you ?' asked.
why, yes" responded the teacher,
sometimes when l am busy 1 can
hardly find time to read and talk to
her as much as she wants me to, but
still she is wonderfully considerate.
When you think of her deprivations
and the way she has been petted here
you wonder that she is not burden of
pure sel6shness, but in fact she is very
far from being that. She is Unsuitable
in her desire to know all that is going
on, and to be read to and entertained,
but there is fine character back there
which keeps things in check When
you think what this woman's life has
been and know that nobody here ever
speaks or thinks of her but with affec-
tiOn and respect, you will see that her
character must be very unusual. Of
course she must try the patience Of
those around her at times, but so do
people who have good eyes and ears,
and l am sure that the people here do
not find Laura-she is never called any
thing but simply Laura an un-
pleasant burden by any means"
OBSERVER.